Venting thread

[Richard W]

The Abdicator was briefly king of the Empire. Parliament has to be approved by him.

In practical terms, Parliament is supreme.

[WeepingElf]

I don't think we need WW3 to unseat dictators..

Agreed. The regimes of the Communist bloc, for instance, were overthrown without a war. They were overthrown by citizens rallying in the streets and demanding reforms (and in the USSR itself, by a party chairman who had realized that it just could not go on that way forever, and enacted reforms even without crowds in the streets). And while I am worried about tomorrow's runoff elections in France, and about the US elections in November, I don't think liberal democracy is doomed forever. And in Germany, it seems very unlikely that the AfD will get into power: they are still far from a majority of their own, and nobody wants to form a coalition with them. Of course, we can't say yet what the future will bring, but in times of crisis, it is never a good idea to listen to the doomsayers.

[malloc]

Agreed. The regimes of the Communist bloc, for instance, were overthrown without a war. They were overthrown by citizens rallying in the streets and demanding reforms (and in the USSR itself, by a party chairman who had realized that it just could not go on that way forever, and enacted reforms even without crowds in the streets).

Sure but the collapse of the Communist Bloc also proves that an ideology with immense power can suddenly implode and evaporate from the public consciousness. Communism went from serious competition to liberal democracy and capitalism to practically forgotten in mere years. There is nothing inevitable about liberalism or democracy. Had history gone some other way, we'd still be burning people alive for sodomy and heresy. The gulf monarchies of Arabia prove that modern economics and technology can easily coexist with absolutist politics. We got incredibly lucky that liberalism prevailed over other equally feasible alternatives and once we've lost liberalism, there is little reason to think we'll get it back.

[bradrn]

Sure but the collapse of the Communist Bloc also proves that an ideology with immense power can suddenly implode and evaporate from the public consciousness. Communism went from serious competition to liberal democracy and capitalism to practically forgotten in mere years.

As far as I’m aware, China still exists. (Yes, one can argue about the extent to which it’s actually communistic, but they certainly consider themselves a communist country.)

[zompist]

Let's keep the venting thread for venting, please. There are other places for the endless political discussions.

[malloc]

Continuing on my previous point, I cannot see any merits to facing the horrors to come. There are cases where enduring hardship can improve your life in the long term. But that only applies when the hardship abates rather than worsening continuously. Watching this country become the next Russia or Iran will not build my character in any way. Nor will struggling with collapsing infrastructure from global warming and deregulation or running from secret police. What should you do when you know that things will never improve?

[WeepingElf]

malloc, as others and I have said before, you need professional help. Eddyfying won't improve your situation, and we here cannot give you the advice you need to cope with the troubles you are facing.

[masako]

malloc, as others and I have said before, you need professional help. Eddyfying won't improve your situation, and we here cannot give you the advice you need to cope with the troubles you are facing.

A million times, this.

[rotting bones]

Continuing on my previous point, I cannot see any merits to facing the horrors to come. There are cases where enduring hardship can improve your life in the long term. But that only applies when the hardship abates rather than worsening continuously. Watching this country become the next Russia or Iran will not build my character in any way. Nor will struggling with collapsing infrastructure from global warming and deregulation or running from secret police. What should you do when you know that things will never improve?

You could move abroad. If you can't afford that, maybe you could join the Socialist Rifle Association? Make things as expensive as you can for those ghouls at the Heritage Foundation. Even if they take over, America will be too shattered to export Heritage propaganda worldwide.

[rotting bones]

Barring a miracle, Biden has very little chance of winning reëlection at this point. His failed debate last week has become the new Dean scream.

The Democratic base doesn't care what Biden says, just like the Republican base doesn't care what Trump says. The politically uneducated Democrats have always believed everything Trump said about Biden. They thought Biden was the better choice despite all that because they see Trump as a threat to democracy. Many of them see attempts to replace Biden as "treachery", etc. The question is whether Biden is losing too many independents.

[malloc]

Sheesh, it's already been two weeks since the debate and it feels like everyone is still talking about little else. It would help if people had some concrete plans for the coming dictatorship. If we cannot win the election, then we must pour all our resources and intellectual ability into fighting what comes next. For what it's worth, I have been making slow but steady progress on my conlang and feel hesitant to commit suicide without having the chance to enjoy it just a bit if nothing else.

[rotting bones]

Sheesh, it's already been two weeks since the debate and it feels like everyone is still talking about little else. It would help if people had some concrete plans for the coming dictatorship. If we cannot win the election, then we must pour all our resources and intellectual ability into fighting what comes next. For what it's worth, I have been making slow but steady progress on my conlang and feel hesitant to commit suicide without having the chance to enjoy it just a bit if nothing else.

I think the Republicans will leave you alone unless you try to get an abortion, are gay or challenge their religious mumbo-jumbo. I'm not even sure you'll suffer economically, at least not immediately. Eventually, the pro-capitalist policies might plunge the country into a depression.

[Raphael]

I'm rather annoyed by the way how several ZBB threads have taken a turn for the worse at the same time of the last few days.

[bradrn]

I'm rather annoyed by the way how several ZBB threads have taken a turn for the worse at the same time of the last few days.

It’s left me quite frustrated also.

[rotting bones]

I'm rather annoyed by the way how several ZBB threads have taken a turn for the worse at the same time of the last few days.

If a public forum doesn't reflect the world it's in, there's something wrong with that forum.

[malloc]

I think the Republicans will leave you alone unless you try to get an abortion, are gay or challenge their religious mumbo-jumbo. I'm not even sure you'll suffer economically, at least not immediately. Eventually, the pro-capitalist policies might plunge the country into a depression.

Well sure, I am not terribly worried about facing personal persecution. I am more worried about having to read about the atrocities they're committing everyday while being powerless against them. Also it occurs to me that with all the censorship and repression, I will have little to entertain me. All the good books and films will get banned, everything published under the new regime will have to conform to its Christian nationalist ideology, and so forth.

It really stings to realize that all these years struggling to improve my life will soon be rendered pointless. Years working twelve-hour shifts, carefully saving money, learning to live on my own despite my developmental disability, all for these fascists to steal my future.

[doctor shark]

Vent: my landlord is selling the place in which I'm living, which means that people are having to come in to do photographs this week. And they have very specific instructions for how the place must look for the photos! Of course, I'm also currently working on packing my things to move, so... it's quite a mess, to get everything according to their instructions while also both living in the place and preparing for the move.

[xxx]

they should pay you for that...
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[Raphael]

Vent: my landlord is selling the place in which I'm living, which means that people are having to come in to do photographs this week. And they have very specific instructions for how the place must look for the photos! Of course, I'm also currently working on packing my things to move, so... it's quite a mess, to get everything according to their instructions while also both living in the place and preparing for the move.

Ouch. Commiserations.

[Travis B.]

Vent: my landlord is selling the place in which I'm living, which means that people are having to come in to do photographs this week. And they have very specific instructions for how the place must look for the photos! Of course, I'm also currently working on packing my things to move, so... it's quite a mess, to get everything according to their instructions while also both living in the place and preparing for the move.

Ugh.